Coastal Crisis Chaplaincy: A Charleston Best Practice AD | 12.09.2006 | 10:52:02 | Views: 7100 | ID: The Coastal Crisis Chaplaincy brings its unique “ministry of presence” to those who suffer the worst that life can bring. Chaplains bring their comforting prayers, helping hands, listening ears, and connection to resources and information for families during times of severe crisis caused by a natural disaster, terrorist or violent acts or unexpected tragedy. The Chaplaincy also provides invaluable pastoral care to those emergency workers who have been through traumatic experiences in the line of duty. CCC is a national leader in crisis chaplaincy.
The founder, Reverend Rob Dewey, served on national teams for the World Trade Center disaster and Hurricane Katrina. He also developed a unique series of Pastoral Crisis Intervention courses under the auspices of the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation. These courses give faith-based organizations across the country the key protocols and procedures that help chaplains be most effective in the crises they attend. Reverend Dewey teaches many of these classes himself at the invitation of I.C.I.S.F. and public agencies across the country. Three full-time and 11 volunteer Chaplains stand ready and trained to support 33 local, state and federal public agencies to make sure that citizens are supported in times of crisis, whether brought on by natural or man-made disasters, violent crime or tragic accidents. They regularly attend the same crisis trainings that FBI and other agency employees attend. Their work in these situations frees emergency and law-enforcement workers to execute their critically important public safety-related functions more effectively without neglecting the significant needs of the people who surround their efforts. In extreme or unusually traumatic situations, CCC also provides follow-up pastoral care to the very first-responders who must work their way through the worst of the crisis. The Survivor Follow-Up program is a completely volunteer group who offer short-term spiritual support and links to long term resources for those who have lost a loved one through tragic or violent means. This group, made up largely of survivors themselves, extends the ministry of presence to bereaved families during the 30 – 60 days after their loss. The programs described above are all designed to extend the "Ministry of Presence" to those in the greater Charleston community during their most acute times of spiritual need and in the immediate aftermath.
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